The Jagsonville promotion has far exceeded my expectations, and turned out to be exactly what I hoped it would be. Thanks to everyone who participated and will participate in the coming day. Here is some important information for the promotion along with some of the best entries from the past week.

Winners Announced Wednesday at Midnight

Winners will be announced Wednesday night at Midnight on the Jagsonville.com site, the Urban Jacksonville Facebook page, Twitter and the Urban Jacksonville blog. Winners must contact me by 2:00pm Thursday to coordinate ticket pickup. If I have not talked to you by 2:00pm your tickets will be given to the runner up.

Teal out on Thursday

This is one of the most important things I can emphasis going into this game. EVERYONE WEAR TEAL ON THURSDAY. Work. School. Church. Home. Whatever. Let’s show some city spirit on Thursday with everyone wearing teal. DO IT!

The Prizes

I’ve neglected announcing the locations of the tickets:

• First Prize Best Overall Presented by Custom Signs and Holmes Stamp » Section 233 Row Q Seats 25 and 26
• Second Prize Presented by Gil Samson and Urban Jacksonville » Section 229 Row Z Seats 18 and 19
• Third Prize Presented by Wingard Creative » Section 414 Row BB
• Runner Up Prize Presented by NUFSED Clothing » Duval Jaguars Shirt (Purple/Large). Note: The runner up is also the first alternate if someone does not pick up their tickets.

Credits

Halftone Def Studios for the awesome jagsonville.com domain.
Varick Rosete for the awesome jagsonville.com web design.

A Final Word

Please read Gil’s latest article on the Jaguars David and Goliath. Not only is it a triumph in headline writing, he drops a crafty double entendre at the end of the post. Here’s a paraphrased excerpt:

Win out, and you’re in.

This has caused many people to say that the Jaguars “control their own destiny.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve always disliked that phrase. Suggesting the future is predetermined, and at the same time you are somehow able to change it seems contradictory. It’s either one or the other, isn’t it? I’d much rather leave destiny out of it and say that the Jaguars control themselves. Or at least, they will need to.

And off in the distance, a glimmer of light. At the halfway point of the season, the Jaguars improved their record to 4-4 against the visiting, one-win Kansas City Chiefs; refusing to quiet whisperings of a playoff berth.

A playoff berth? From a team that experienced a 50% roster turnover in the off-season, and that I said was rebuilding? Yes, it’s possible. As of now, aside from the division leaders, only 3 teams in the AFC have a better record than the Jaguars, and two teams share their record. One of which being their next opponent: The New York Jets.

Although we’re only in Week 9 next Sunday’s game at the Meadowlands could have serious playoff implications. Following the Jets, Jacksonville’s next two opponents are both 3-5, so next Sunday’s game could provide the impetus for the Jaguars to “get hot” in the latter half of the season.

That all sounds nice of course, but if the Jaguars are to make a legitimate post-season run, they’ll have to greatly improve on defense, where they are currently ranked 23rd in the league. Fortunately, they were able to make large strides in the right direction on Sunday, against a bottom-feeding Chiefs offense.

Photo: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, right, avoids a sack from Jacksonville Jaguars’ Bryan Smith, left, in fourth-quarter action during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)

I think it’s clear that a major contributing factor to the improvement was Jack Del Rio’s decision to abandon the 3-4 defense they had been playing in weeks prior, and recommit to the 4-3 that has been the staple of Jaguars defense for the past decade.

After allowing the Tennessee Titans to rush for over 300 yards the week before, the Jaguars were able to hold the Chiefs rushing “attack”, that was without running back Larry Johnson, to a paltry 60 yards. With four down linemen, including Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves as defensive ends, the Jaguars had the “bulk” at the point of attack that they were flat-out missing while playing the 3-4.

The switch in scheme, combined with a renewed commitment to fundamentals (i.e. tackling), produced 3 sacks of quarterback Matt Cassel; as opposed to the exasperating FIVE sacks accrued in weeks 1 through 7.

Photo: Jacksonville wide receiver Jarett Dillard (87) makes a catch over Kansas City linebacker Jovan Belcher, left, in first quarter game action during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)

After last Sunday, I think we can all agree that the 3-4 experiment is over, and Jack Del Rio all but said so himself. It was fun to think a team could switch base defenses just like that and not skip a beat, but I think most people knew that the Jaguars don’t have the kind of personnel required to make that scheme work.

Especially when the reason for the switch was losing players, like Reggie Hayward (DE) and Rob Meier (DT/DE), to begin with. Plus, JDR’s always been a 4-3 guy, and everyone’s always saying that a team should embody the personality of its head coach.

I don’t know about you, but to me the 4-3 just looks better. There’s something unsettling to me about seeing only 3 guys against 5 guys. But, whatever. As long as they’re stopping the run and sacking the quarterback, who cares what scheme they’re playing, right? Hell, line up in punt return formation if it means Mark Sanchez and Thomas Jones are on their backs all day.

And that’s where the true test for this seemingly reinvigorated defense lies. The Jets are currently ranked number one in the league in rushing, and Jones is the NFL’s 8th ranked running back. “Run the ball/Stop the run” will be absolutely critical in this game if the Jaguars hope to make it out of New Jersey above .500.

Photo: Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, right, catches a fourth-quarter pass from quarterback David Garrard, left, during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville won 24-21.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)

If the defense cannot stop the run as it did against the Chiefs, the Jaguars could fall behind early yet again and be forced to throw the ball more than they’d like against the league’s number 2 ranked pass defense. The Jaguars will have to continue to give the ball to their Pro Bowl (Vote Now!) running back Maurice Jones-Drew 25-30 times and get another mistake-free game out of quarterback David Garrard to continue their hunt for a playoff berth.

Playoffs? We’ll see…

Listen and Subscribe

Download audio file (urban-jacksonville-weekly-episode27.mp3)
Subscribe with iTunes

You can now listen right now, click the play button above.

Vote for the New Urban Jacksonville Weekly Intro

Tough Junkie was awesome enough to produce these three themes for the NEW Urban Jacksonville Weekly intro and we want you to vote on your favorite. When the favorite is selected, Jonathan will edit it down into an intro and outro for the show.

Theme #1
Download audio file (theme1.mp3)
Theme #2
Download audio file (theme2.mp3)
Theme #3
Download audio file (theme3.mp3)

[poll=10]

Notes: Junkie on the keys.

Jon Getting married in Denver because it isn’t Jacksonville
Junkie made a selection of theme songs: Listeners’ Pick (Voting)

credit: omatix an awesome Jacksonville photographer

STITC Recap

• Joey- Great show, Expansive, Junkie’s hair on display. TSI – 247 in attendance
• Tony- Riverside Arts Market area filled up and out, BBBC/Mellow Mushroom Mini Kitchen
• Late Night Shantytown Show-Full house, Good Vibes, Being creative

Jaguars Training Camp

• Get a Jaguar Tattoo.
• Go to a game or two this year.
• We are not selling the team
• Jaguars are for the babies, yo.
• Where were you in 1995?
• Fave Player- Jennings, Jones
• Twitter Fantasy Football

~Junkie replacing Diablo? (junkie says no)~

Uptown Market Mid Septemberish Opening

• uptownmarket.tumblr.com
• City Kids Ice Cream is open
• Tony- “We got the breads!”

Budget Suggestions, What’s up with the budget

• budgetsuggestions@coj.net Send them in
• Oct 1st budget balancing
• Peyton shot for 12 mil
• It is a tricky topic, with so many
• Tony: I will eat shoes if I am wrong. Sent a letter to Folio
• Not sure if I did. And it was edited.
• “Google me, I’m Famous!” Was there any fowl play?
• Not made to be published.
• Wrong blog spot and misdirected traffic

Zines at the Main Library
Josh Talks About The Jacksonville Library's Zine Collection

• video interview With Josh Jubinski (of inertia records) on jaxscene.blogspot.com for ‘zine’ program
• Having a Zine Symposium
• Big props to Tom Pennington
• Section 8 is the Grandfather of Jacksonville Zines
• Section 8 is shooting for a Sept Release

Recommendations:
Joey – metrojacksonville/neighborhoods and The Sinclair this Friday
Junkie- Take a second or five to dance. (so you won’t go crazy)
Jon Ben- Southern Pecan Beer/ new npr.org / The green monster in the river.
Tony – August 29th International Dog Day @ Riverside Arts Market/ Art Walk on Wednesday

Even though this isn’t the real cover, this is how it should be. The TV spot is pretty funny. Click on MoJo in the right-hand column to see the spot. I’m getting in the mood for football season.